Swimming pool for horses



July 5, 1966 H. SHEPARD 3,259,105

SWIMMING POOL FOR HORSES Filed Oct. 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.ROBE RT H. SHEPARD y 1966 R. H. SHEPARD SWIMMING POOL FOR HORSES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1964 u/ m m n w 8 Wilma Q 2 Ihl l MH & W lo I j |l 3 \II I m 1% 8 Q IHIII 2 H .l. .N 4 l W ll 3 all m 4. n F N m Ha M m 0 MI 4 a 4 v 3 t P 4 u 112 m 6 a p 3 INVENTOR. ROBERT H. SHEPARD142m & 54:11am

United States Patent 3,259,105 SWIMMING POOL FOR HORSES Robert H.Shepard, 10703 Eureka Road, Spring Valley, Calif. Filed Oct. 12, 1964,Ser. No. 403,266 6 Claims. (Cl. 119-29) The present invention relatesgenerally to a swimming pool for horses and more particularly to such apool for exercising and conditioning race horses.

It has long been known that swimming is a perfect conditioning exercisefor horses, particularly those in training during the racing season.Trainers of horses assigned to tracks situated near a large body ofwater conduct regular swimming programs to insure that their horses arein the pink of condition. Controlled swimming is somewhat diflicult toobtain since the horse must be accompanied by an attendant holding thehalter rope. To follow the movements of the horse the attendant mustusually be in a boat and the freedom of movement of the horse isseriously limited and several attendants are required for a group ofhorses.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of this invention to provide animproved swimming pool for horses which will permit a single attendantto handle several horses simultaneously without materially limiting thefreedom of movement of the horses and without danger of injury to thehorses.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a swimming pool forhorses having an improved bridge over the entrance ramp which functionsnot only as a guide for the horses and a gate-like closure for the ramp,but also as an extension of the walkway for the attendant.

Finally, it is an object to provide a swimming pool of theaforementioned character which is simple and convenient to use and whichwill give generally efiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements andportions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification,particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawingswhich form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the improved swimming pool;

FIGURE 2 is asection on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

With particular reference to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the pool,indicated by the reference numeral 10, consists of an open topped tankand is shown as being substantially circular. While this is thepreferred form, since it provides generally unimpeded movement of thehorse around the circumference thereof, it is within the scope of thisdisclosure to form the pool of any desired shape. The side wall 12 andbottom 14 are formed of reinforced concrete or any other suitablematerial, the junction of the wall with the bottom being smoothly curvedas at 16.

Leading into the pool is a curved sloping ramp 18. As will be evidentfrom FIGURE 1, the spaced Walls 20 and 22 of the ramp are formed asextensions of the wall of the pool, the outer Wall 20 being curvedoutwardly to leave an entrance 24 to the pool between the end 26 ofinner wall 22 and outer wall 20. Suitably mounted on top of the outerwall 20 is a guard fence 28, the purpose of which will be hereinafterdescribed. A similar confronting fence 30 is mounted on top of the innerwall 22.

A walkway 32 surrounds the pool 10 and the outer wall 20 of ramp 18.This walkway may be of any suitable construction and is here shown asbeing of reinforced concrete and an integral part of the upper edge ofwall 12. Spanning the entrance 24 between the end 26 of wall 22 and theouter wall of the pool is a movable bridging means 34. As here shown,this bridging means 34 takes the form of a drawbridge pivoted to thewall of the pool at 36 and movable upwardly in the direction of arrow 38by any suitable means such as the cable 40 in a manner well known in theart. While I have shown a drawbridge, it is to be understood that anyother well-known movable bridging means may be substituted therefor.

Operation While the dimensions of the pool are not critical, it shouldnot be less than 40 feet in diameter and approximately 10 feet deep toallow sufiicient depth of water for a horse to swim. With the poolnearly full of water, a horse is led down the ramp 18 by an attendantholding a rope attached to the horses halter, the drawbridge 34 havingbeen first moved to a vertical position. The raised guard fences 28 and30 prevent the horse from jumping over the wall 20 or 22 as he is leddown the ramp. Once through the entrance 24 and into the pool proper,the horse is free to swim around the periphery of the pool guided onlyby the attendant who follows around the walkway 32. With the horsesafely through the entrance 24, the drawbridge is dropped down toprovide a walkway connecting the end 26 of the wall 22 with the edge ofthe pool as shown in FIGURE 1. The attendant can now walk around thepool and over the drawbridge 34. With the drawbridge positioned asshown, it also serves as a guide to direct the horse away from the ramp18 as he swims around the pool. Multiple tethering means may be providedas, for example, by use of a centrally disposed tethering post, so thatseveral horses can be managed by a single attendant. As will be seen inFIGURE 1, the top of the wall 22 between the ramp 18 and the pool properis relatively narrow. To provide secure footing for the attendant awidened strip 42 may be provided if desired. After the exercise periodis completed, the drawbridge 34 is raised and the horse led up the ramp.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the inventiondisclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scopeof the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to beconsidered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A swimming pool for exercising and conditioning horses comprising:

an open topped tank having a sidewall and a bottom;

a ramp extending from one ege of the tank downwardly toward the bottomof said tank and having an inner wall and an outer wall, the latterbeing an extension of said sidewall;

a walkway around the outer edge of said tank; and

removable means bridging one end of said inner wall and an adjacentportion of said sidewall.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said removable means is a pivoteddrawbridge.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said drawbridge is a continuationof said inner wall.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said tank is generally circular inshape and said drawbridge, in the operative position thereof extendschordally of said sidewall.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said ramp extends circumferentiallyaround a portion of the sidewall of the tank.

6. The structure of claim 5 further including a guide fence on and innerand outer walls and on both sides of the ramp leading into the tank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 712,496 11/1902Clark 119158 3,106,045 10/1963 Rautio 52169 ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, ActingPliflllll') Examiner.

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Examiner.

1. A SWIMMING POOL FOR EXERCISING AND CONDITIONING HORSES COMPRISING: ANOPEN TOPPED TANK HAVING A SIDEWALL AND A BOTTOM; A RAMP EXTENDING FROMAN EDGE OF THE TANK DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF SAID TANK AND HAVINGAN INNER WALL AND AN OUTER WALL, THE LATTER BEING AN EXTENSION OF SAIDWALL; A WALKWAY AROUND THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID TANK; AND REMOVABLE MEANSBRIDGING ONE END OF SAID INNER WALL AND AN ADJACENT PORTION OF SAIDSIDEWALL.